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MANOR PARK CHRONICLE
SEPTEMBRE 2006
Light Rail – My Reasons for Voting NO
Increasing public-transit ridership from 17% to 30% is a crucial
part of Ottawa’s “smart-growth” strategy for developing the urban
area. I did not believe that the proposed North-South Light Rail
Transit would help us achieve our target or that the system would
actually work as intended. My rationale (and potential solution)
was published in major daily newspapers (Citizen July 2005 & 2006;
Le Droit, juillet 2006). The articles are available on the
Rideau-Rockcliffe web-site.
I felt obliged to vote AGAINST the system proposed - not because
it was imperfect, but because I fear that it will fail too often
in the congested downtown. I did so with considerable regret. I
hope that I will be proven wrong because I would take no joy in
saying "I told you so". I was in the minority, so the system will
go ahead as proposed. I truly hope that it works, but I could not
in all conscience rely on hope for such an important decision.
C.F.B. Rockcliffe
The first public meeting at the Aviation Museum on the evening of
June 27th was very well attended. The Canada Lands Corporation (CLC)
introduced themselves, and their team of consultants, to the
community. Jim Lynes, acting president of CLC, and Mr. Ken
Greenberg, on behalf of the consulting team, spoke in broad terms
of their intentions to focus on sustainable development and to
maintain a close and open dialogue with the surrounding
communities. Jane Brammer & Charles D’Amour, spoke on behalf of
CARAD - Community Action for Rockcliffe Airbase Development, the
newly created network organization representing community
associations in the surrounding area. Many remarked that the
stated intentions of the proponents and the wishes of CARAD were
closely aligned. It seemed to be a good start.
I have established a special ‘corner’ of the Rideau-Rockcliffe
web-site as an information centre for CFB Rockcliffe issues. CLC,
consultant and CARAD PowerPoint presentations are available as
well as an audiovisual reproduction of the Rogers TV broadcast of
the Q&A portion of the meeting. Look also for the excellent
article by Jeffrey Thiessen, “Rockcliffe Base: Principles for
Sound Development” from the front page of the May 2006 issue of
the Chronicle and other relevant background information. Regular
updates on upcoming meetings will be posted.
Karen Way
In July, City Council unanimously approved re-zoning to allow a
building of 7 stories at most. This was a small change from the
community’s (and my own) position asking for a building of no more
than 5 stories. The zoning decision should be viewed as a
significant victory for the Manor Park and Cardinal Glen
communities. A 7-story building is consistent with the nearby
properties at 500 & 520 St Laurent. Congratulations to John Marc
Keyes, Jeff Anderson, Ewen Cornish, Roy Kennedy, Patrick O’Keefe
and many others, who worked so hard on this file. It was a
planning experience that will serve the community in the years
ahead. Well done everyone!
Beechwood Community Design
One last public meeting was held on July 5th at St. Charles
Church. City staff will now finalize their report for Planning
Committee on September 12th.
Speed Limits on Residential Streets
Subsection 128 of the Ontario Highway Traffic Act states that “No
person shall drive a motor vehicle at a rate of speed greater than
50 km/h on a highway within a local municipality or within a
built-up area”.
This is known as the ‘default speed’ limit and applies to all
roads, regardless of the nature of the road (local, collector,
major collector, etc.), unless signed otherwise. In June, I
requested information on the procedure to change the default limit
on residential streets to 40 km/h.
Basically, a Council request to the Ministry of Transportation is
necessary.
The Safety and Traffic Services Division are prepared to do a
comprehensive speed zoning report, with public consultation, in
2007, should Council approve. The report would include a section
addressing the issue of 40 km/h speed limits on residential
streets or in school zones and near playgrounds on a case-by-case
basis. Prior to amalgamation, various municipalities (e.g.
Gloucester) signed many, or most, of their residential streets at
40 km/h. Staff has estimated the cost of signing all
residential streets in Ottawa at 40 km/h at over $2 million!
Councillors receive many requests every year to have lower speed
limits posted in some of their neighbourhoods. Even if successful,
and not many are, the effort is long, difficult and costly (to
count only the staff time!). Then there are the implementation
costs for those that succeed. The way things work now, communities
wishing lower speed limits on their streets are forced to make the
case. If the default speed on residential streets was 40 km/h ‘the
shoe would be on the other foot’.
I believe that this approach would be in greater harmony with
Ottawa’s Official Plan and its emphasis on safe streets. Moreover,
it has the potential of being a lot less costly than the current
situation. There may be fewer additional streets to be signed
above 40 km/h in this new regime than streets requiring signing at
lower than 50 km/h now. The question will be debated at the
September 20th meeting of Transportation Committee. I invite your
comments and your participation in that debate.
A new Comprehensive Zoning Bylaw for the City
The City must bring zoning into conformity with the new 2003
Official Plan. I am told that the proposed zoning Bylaw will not
contain major changes for ‘old Ottawa’ areas. Of course, “the
devil is in the details”. It remains to be seen if this is borne
out under examination. The draft Bylaw, made public in May, can be
found on the City web-site. There will be a consultation session,
specific to Rideau-Rockcliffe, at Manor Park Public School on
September 18th, at 7:30 pm. This Bylaw will be approved by Council
in February or March 2007.
Jacques Legendre
Councillor, Rideau-Rockcliffe
You can communicate with me at (please include a telephone
number):
City of Ottawa
110 Laurier Avenue West
Ottawa ON K1P 1J1
Tel: 580-2483, Fax: 580-2523
E-mail:
jacques.legendre@ottawa.ca
Web Site:
www.rideau-rockcliffe.com
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